


Red Crown

by crownedSerpent09



Series: Xiuharem One Shots [6]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-07-10
Packaged: 2018-07-22 17:19:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7447525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crownedSerpent09/pseuds/crownedSerpent09
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Prince Kyungsoo’s personal bodyguard, it was Kim Minseok’s job to shadow the prince all day.</p><p>In which Kyungsoo is a prince and Minseok's presence can always be counted on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red Crown

**Author's Note:**

> "Red is used to stimulate people into quick decisions. It is used to symbolize passion, energy, and love."

The doors fall open with a clatter, and a minister runs in, announcing the arrival of the visiting royal family. The king rises and the thirty or so other people in the room --- advisors, ministers, attendants, princes --- rise as well. Minseok materializes at Prince Kyungsoo’s side from where he was standing at attention on the sides, like the other guards.

As Prince Kyungsoo’s personal bodyguard, it was Kim Minseok’s job to shadow the prince all day, from the time he stepped out of his chambers to after he had retired for the night, even residing in an antechamber within the prince’s own rooms. When Minseok had first been introduced to his charge, Prince Kyungsoo had barely spared him a look before accepting his ubiquitous presence without any more indication that he cared that Minseok was there.

The first time Minseok had saved the prince’s life was when they made a trip up the mountains to honor some ritual to the prince and his mother’s ancestors and Prince Kyungsoo was bitten by a pit viper; Minseok had sucked the venom out of the wound on his ankle, and they became fast friends after that. It was hard to go through a life-and-save situation like that without forming some kind of attachment, first in trust, then in camaraderie. Prince Kyungsoo was the smallest of all of his half-brothers, despite a few being younger than him. He attended his swordsmanship and other physical lessons and did what was asked of him, but he never rose to any outstanding level. It wasn’t until Minseok had stepped up at the end of the lesson, after the master had left, to clarify a move for the prince that he started taking an interest in learning this, working with Minseok for hours after his formal lessons had concluded. In months, his brothers’ jeers about Kyungsoo only fitting child-sized armor and his shoulders being narrower than his head became unfounded.

Prince Kyungsoo was immensely grateful for Minseok’s presence in his life, a thought that he had expressed many times through words and the way he was warmer towards Minseok than almost everyone else in his life, save his mother. He shifted closer to Minseok now; his bodyguard was slightly behind him and to the right, so he slowed until the edge of his shoulder touched Minseok’s. Prince Kyungsoo was nervous, Minseok knew. The official reason for the visit was to celebrate a festival with their neighboring kingdom, a close ally and trade partner, but the unofficial and primary goal was to form marriages between Princes Jihoon and Kyungsoo and two of the visiting princesses.

The king and his entourage received the visitors at the palace gate, where each royal was announced. Prince Jihoon had sidled up to Prince Kyungsoo when they had halted, and he elbowed his younger brother at the introduction of the princesses.

“That one’s mine,” he said, nodding at the princess on the left, who was much fairer than the other one. She was also smiling, and she returned Prince Jihoon’s nod with a coy glint in her eyes.

Princess Seohyun was very pretty in her own right, but she was scowling at her surroundings and her chin was set at a haughty tilt that conveyed an unattractive disdain to all around her. Prince Kyungsoo gave no indication of displeasure at being assigned to the less desirable princess nor did he display much of a reaction at the princesses at all. Only Minseok saw past his blank gaze to his anxiousness by the firmer press of the prince’s shoulder into his.

Jihoon took Princess Seojoo on a tour of the palace before dinner, but when Prince Kyungsoo’s mother asked Princess Seohyun the same for her son, the princess declined and asked to be shown to her rooms immediately. Prince Kyungsoo was as blank as ever at the slight, and he retired to his own rooms to rest before dinner with Minseok, ever present, at his side.

“I am relieved,” the prince said to Minseok, as soon as they were alone. They had taken a detour to the guards’ dining hall so that Minseok could get his dinner to eat in Prince’s Kyungsoo’s chambers before he had to stand at attention at the king’s formal affair. Minseok had lost his ability to be uncomfortable with the prince following _him_ around two months into their friendship, after Prince Kyungsoo had finally gotten the point through that Minseok was his hyung and he didn’t mind following him around from time to time; in fact, he enjoyed seeing the mundane daily lives of his people.

“That you don’t have to spend time alone with her in awkward silence or that Prince Jihoon chose the prettier one so you feel less pressure?” Minseok quipped, forgoing formalities in private.

“Both and because she doesn’t like me.”

Minseok raised an eyebrow, talking around the bread in his mouth. “What about an amiable marriage?”

“There won’t be a marriage.” Prince Kyungsoo took a seat opposite Minseok and stared intently up at him with his wide eyes. “She doesn’t like me, and I have no interest in her. Jihoon and Seojoo will do their thing and everyone is happy.”

“Everyone but your mother.”

“My mother will be happy for me so long as I find someone I love. It isn’t Princess Seohyun.”

“Then who do you love?” Minseok asked softly. He was staring back now, equally intent, the contents of his platter forgotten. Minseok was not blind. Minseok wasn’t ignorant toward the way Kyungsoo relaxed into his touches and grew flustered at the sight of Minseok at times. He was aware of the manner in which Kyungsoo looked at him, with too much admiration and something that was inexplicable that the prince should feel for his guard, a commoner, his _subject_. It was want.

Kyungsoo sat frozen for the longest time, then he reached for Minseok’s cup, gulping down the water in order to hide the redness that was spreading across his face. Without knowing what he was doing, Minseok reached over and placed his hand on Kyungsoo’s flushed cheek, stroking the burning skin. Kyungsoo lowered the cup with his a sigh.

“You,” he finally confessed.

There weren’t any fireworks or dramatic outbursts. Minseok’s hand remained on Kyungsoo’s face, and he brought his other hand up to cup the back of the prince’s neck. Pulling Kyungsoo in, he lined their lips up barely half an inch away.

“Is this okay?”

Kyungsoo was dizzy with emotions he didn’t have the time to sort out. “Yes,” he replied, and Minseok’s lips met his.


End file.
